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Regulations released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding school snacks are "complex" and could be a burden for schools, said Sandra Ford, president of the School Nutrition Association. Schools already are working to align their menus with new regulations for breakfast and lunch, she noted. The standards set calorie limits for food and drinks sold on school campuses during the day, including in vending machines.

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The School Nutrition Association supports the spirit of federal school-meal standards, but the regulations have been difficult for many school nutrition professionals to implement, says Patti Montague, CEO of the School Nutrition Association. In this radio interview, she discusses SNA's support for some relief and flexibility from the standards, so nutrition professionals can work to increase participation in school meal programs. She says the pace of change and the cost of implementation have created a hardship for some districts.

Thirty-nine states and Washington, D.C., have developed their own policies regarding so-called competitive foods sold in schools, such as vending-machine snacks and a la carte items, according to the School Nutrition Association. Now, as the federal government prepares to implement new standards regarding such food, SNA spokeswoman Diane Pratt-Heavner says the association is "a little worried about the complexity and a little worried about the cost. But we share the same goal" of curbing childhood obesity.

The School Nutrition Association reports that 1% of 521 districts surveyed this summer plan to drop out of the National School Lunch Program in the upcoming school year and another 3% were considering it. Some districts say they already have cut ties with the program in favor of developing their own -- saying the more-rigid standards led to lost revenue.

The School Nutrition Association is supporting federal legislation that would offer schools greater flexibility in preparing healthy meals for students. The Sensible School Lunch Act was introduced March 1, and is now being considered by federal lawmakers. "Under the bipartisan Sensible School Lunch Act, school meals would continue to meet calorie limits and include plenty of fruits and vegetables, but cafeterias will have flexibility to plan menus that meet student tastes and nutrition standards," SNA President Sandra Ford said.

New federal standards for school meals have changed how school nutrition professionals "do business," according to Sandra Ford, president of the School Nutrition Association. As schools transform their menus, Ford said students are likely to notice new requirements for fruits and vegetables. Ford recommends that students be allowed to taste test the new options. "If they've never tasted squash before, we encourage the kids to try it," Ford said.